1 Hoor dit, o priesters, en let op, o huis van Israel, en gee gehoor, o huis van die koning! Want die vonnis raak julle, omdat julle vir Mispa 'n vangnet geword het en 'n uitgespreide net op Tabor.

2 Ja, in verderflike praktyke verdiep die afvalliges hulle, maar Ek sal hulle almal tot tugtiging wees.

3 Ek ken Efraim, en Israel is vir My nie verborge nie; want nou het jy owerspel bedrywe, o Efraim! Israel is verontreinig.

4 Hulle dade gedoog geen terugkeer tot hulle God nie, want daar is 'n gees van hoerery in hulle binneste, en hulle ken die HERE nie.

5 En die trotsheid van Israel getuig openlik teen hom; en Israel en Efraim sal struikel deur hulle ongeregtigheid, ook Juda sal saam met hulle struikel.

6 Met hulle kleinvee en hulle beeste sal hulle heengaan om die HERE te soek, maar Hom nie vind nie. Hy het Hom aan hulle onttrek.

7 Hulle het troueloos gehandel teen die HERE, want hulle het onegte kinders verwek; nou sal die nuwemaan hulle met hul velde verteer.

8 Blaas die basuin in G¡bea, die trompet in Rama! Hef aan die krygsgeskreeu in Bet-Awen. Agter jou kom dit, Benjamin!

9 Efraim sal 'n woesteny word op die dag van straf; onder die stamme van Israel maak Ek bekend wat seker is.

10 Die vorste van Juda is soos hulle wat die grenslyne verlê. Ek sal my grimmigheid oor hulle uitgiet soos water.

11 Efraim is verdruk, verbreek deur die oordeel; want dit het hom behaag om na die gebod van mense te wandel.

12 Daarom is Ek vir Efraim soos 'n mot en vir die huis van Juda soos 'n verrotting in die gebeente.

13 Toe Efraim sy krankheid sien en Juda sy sweer, het Efraim na Assur gegaan en na koning Jareb gestuur; maar hy kan julle nie genees en julle van die sweer nie gesond maak nie.

14 Want Ek is soos 'n leeu vir Efraim, en soos 'n jong leeu vir die huis van Juda; Ek, Ek verskeur en gaan heen, Ek dra weg sonder dat iemand red.

15 Dan gaan Ek heen, Ek keer na my woonplek terug, totdat hulle skuld beken en my aangesig soek. In hulle nood sal hulle My soek.

1 Hear this, O ye priests, and hearken, O house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king; for unto you pertaineth the judgment; for ye have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. 2 And the revolters are gone deep in making slaughter; but I am a rebuker of them all. 3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, O Ephraim, thou hast played the harlot, Israel is defiled. 4 Their doings will not suffer them to turn unto their God; for the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not Jehovah. 5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble with them. 6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them. 7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields.

8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: sound an alarm at Beth-aven; behind thee, O Benjamin. 9 Ephraim shall become a desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. 10 The princes of Judah are like them that remove the landmark: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. 11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; because he was content to walk after man’s command. 12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to Assyria, and sent to king Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither will he cure you of your wound. 14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver. 15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.